


Clever Girls

by Medie



Category: Doctor Who, Torchwood
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossover, Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-26
Updated: 2010-03-26
Packaged: 2017-10-08 08:32:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/74675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Medie/pseuds/Medie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>nice girls never make history.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Clever Girls

**Author's Note:**

> for [](http://azarsuerte.livejournal.com/profile)[**azarsuerte**](http://azarsuerte.livejournal.com/) on the occasion of her birthday. Spoilers for the Torchwood season finale.

"Did you know, Ms. Sato, that you are a most remarkable woman."

It's not bad, really. As these things go, Toshiko has heard better, but she's also heard much worse. Quite often. She knows Jack Harkness. Also Owen. And Ianto. Well, Ianto doesn't really count. He's far too stoic for dodgy pick up lines. Though, really, the whole of Torchwood is abominably bad at things like lines.

The fact that she is aware of this says something. When one is a disaster in a subject, the last thing you wish to discover is that you are outperforming your fellows. It's really quite disturbing.

Most days, she doesn't know why she worries about it at all. Not that she spends time considering these subjects you understand.

Clearly.

Lying there, and pretending she isn't lying to herself, she opens her eyes to a smooth, cream-coloured ceiling and has a rather disturbing thought. On the whole, it should be an invigorating thought, but she is Toshiko Sato after all.

She's not dead. Moreover, she's not dead and she's not in Torchwood. She's not dead, she's not in Torchwood, and there is a tall blonde standing at her side.

That said blonde is not altogether hideous is irrelevant. A tiny voice, one that sounds enough like Jack that she almost expect to see him, begs to differ.

Naturally, Toshiko ignores that voice, but she does smile.

So does her hostess, who adds a calm, "Hello." as if this were a perfectly normal day. When, actually, it very well might be. Perhaps where she comes from - clearly not Cardiff, or anywhere nearby - finding previously-dead, slightly unconscious women is as common as going to the post.

Perhaps they arrive in the post.

Tosh only just stops herself from looking for a stamp. Only just. She exhales and tries to take stock. She is, apparently, alive and unharmed. Seemingly. Her wound is gone and, though there might be medication involved, she is calm. By now, most people would have had an unfortunate reaction and panicked.

It's understandable, really. Most do not have jobs where they resurrect from death to encounter uncommonly attractive alien rescuers.

Which, Tosh is certain, this woman is.

Alien. Although, yes, she is uncommonly attractive as well. Whether or not the rescuer part applies does remain to be seen.

Having acknowledged this (and put any references to a similar alien aside) Tosh swings her legs over the side of the bed and sits up. It is indeed a bed, with sheets that are sinfully luxurious and four-posters. Oak, she thinks.

The blonde is looking at her with some amusement. Toshiko realizes it has been some time since she spoke. She smiles, tremulous as it is, and responds, "Hello?"

It isn't what she wants to say, but she thinks demanding answers would be premature. Also rude. If it is as it seems and this woman saved her life then some gratitude is in order. "I suppose," she says, clearing her throat, "I should be thanking you."

Her hostess smiles. "If you wish. It's not necessary, however."

"You aren't one for quaint local customs, then?" tries Tosh. It's not particularly subtle, but she did just return from the dead. She's not expected to be up to her usual standards.

"Not particularly," says her hostess. Her smile seems to be almost a shrug. "I think such sentimentality is the province of a friend." There's a deliberate hesitation after that. It's enough to pique Toshiko's interest in this 'friend'. "He's quite fond of most things human."

"I don't suppose, if he's so fond of such things, that I know him?"

"Oh, you might," says her hostess. She's being deliberately obtuse. Tosh frowns. It's frustrating. The expression of amusement on the blonde's face darkens, ever so slightly, as she adds, "One does meet so many aliens in your line of work. Though, I wager, being employed by Torchwood does not make it easy to bond with them."

She pushes to her feet. "Unfortunate, that, but not unexpected. It's quite typical of your species in this era. Come, Toshiko, lets get you dressed." She crosses the room, opening closet doors with the push of a firm hand. "You can't laze about all day. It would be unseemly."

Tosh watches her pull out clothing, rejecting them with a brisk shake of her head. "I'm sorry, but you seem to know quite a lot about me – "

"Virtually everything, I'm afraid," says the blonde. Tosh thinks she's meant to be unsettled by the admission. Instead, her heart pumps faster, her breath comes quicker, and she realizes she is close to something. "It's unfortunate, but given the process required to save your life, it was also unavoidable."

"– That wasn't what I was going to say," finishes Toshiko.

"Of course not," she says. She looks over, meeting Tosh's gaze. "You were going to ask my name, but you should already know that."

"I should?"

"Yes." Bringing some clothes back to the bed, her hostess lays them out. "A woman clever enough to build a sonic device like the one you did? Surely you can see it." Her smile is confident. "I'll leave you to get dressed. If you don't like these, just try the closet. I'm sure you'll find something suitable."

She leaves Toshiko alone with her thoughts.

And a closet full of her own clothes.

-

The door isn't locked. When Toshiko opens it to the expanse of hallway beyond, it begins to become clear.

By the time she walks into the control room, it's glaring. Much like the smirk on her rescuer's face. "I really thought you'd get it before now," she says. "But I suppose I should have allowed for post-resurrection trauma. It's not unlike regeneration in its way."

"Except I get to keep my face," says Tosh. "Unlike Time Lords."

"This is my face!"

"It's not the one you were born with!"

That gets her a raised eyebrow. "Not an uncommon occurrences among humans either. Have you seen Hollywood lately?"

Tosh has to concede that one. "You're not The Doctor, right?"

Laughing, her hostess shakes her head. "No. I've never heard of a cross-gender regeneration, though it would solve a number of issues quite nicely." " She looks momentarily intrigued, then shakes it off. "At any rate, no, I am not The Doctor."

"But you know him," says Tosh.

"I do."

She thinks. The UNIT files on The Doctor are classified, problematic even for Torchwood to read, but as she's in them, so she's entitled to have peeked. "Romana."

Romana nods.

"You've regenerated," says Tosh.

"Unfortunate Gallifreyan response to death," says Romana. "Stay here long enough, you might even get used to it."

Tosh opens her mouth, ready to protest, and stops. She's not staying. She has the team. Torchwood. Her job. Her life – Owen.

She looks at Romana. "Why?"

"Did I save you?" Romana shrugs. "It seemed like a good idea when it occurred to me." She turns back to the console. "I've seen enough death as of late. Too much, really. I thought it high time I let someone else cheat it too."

With her eyes on the readouts before her, Romana adds, "I can take you back, if you wish."

"You can," agrees Tosh. She takes one step, and then another, reaching out to run a hand along the TARDIS wall. Turning, she catches Romana's eye. "At any time, right?"

Romana nods. "Yes."

"Good," says Tosh, joining the Time Lady at the controls. "Then it doesn't have to be today."

Romana grins. "It doesn't have to be today." Her grin widens. "You'd best hang on then." The TARDIS lurches, throwing them both of balance, Romana catching Toshiko before she can fall. "This is where it gets fun."


End file.
